Rodney
by Victoria Relentless
Summary: The Chipmunks really miss Lily, their old dog. Then, Alvin meets a stray, lovable dog. The Chipmunks really want to keep him, but will Dave say "yes"?
1. Chapter 1

I do not any of the Chipmunks, Chipettes, or Dave. They are rightly owned by Bagdasarian Productions.

I just wanted you to note that, in my stories, Theodore is not a vegetarian. Thank you, everyone, for all your kind comments and encouraging words! I'm sorry it took me so long to get this story up. I turned out to be a lot longer than I thought.

Chapter One

It was a warm Thursday morning in September at the Seville breakfast table. The aroma of maple syrup, bacon, and hash browns still lingered. Dave was reading the Sports section of the newspaper; Alvin was reading the Comics. Simon had the front page story, and Theodore was stuck with the Classifieds. Theodore's eyes fell onto the "Dogs" section and read with longing. Boy, did he want a dog! He and his brothers had owned a dog once, Lily, but they eventually had to give her away. They hated doing it, but they thought that Lily deserved a better life than what they were giving her. Also, they hadn't been very responsible. Now that they were older, Theodore felt that the time was right to get another dog.

"Can someone pass the syrup?" Dave asked.

"Here you go," Simon said as he handed the bottle to him, not even looking up from the paper.

"Dave, I want a dog." At Theodore's mention of a dog, Alvin and Simon looked up with the same longing in their eyes that Theodore had. Although they had never mentioned it, they thought often about getting another dog.

"Theodore, we've discussed this many times. I've already told you the reasons why we can't keep one."

"Remind me again what those 'reasons' are," Alvin challenged.

"Well, first, I don't feel that you boys are responsible enough. Remember what happened with Lily."

Theodore argued, "But, Dave, we're older now, and if all three of us promise to take care of him, I know we could do it."

"Second, we can't afford it."

"Oh yes we can!" Alvin indignantly said. "You always say we can't afford something when you really save all the money for us in the bank. With all the concerts we do and products we sell, I'm sure we could get a dog!"

Ignoring the fact that Alvin was right, Dave continued, "Third, I'm allergic to dogs."

"You've been allergic to both cats and dogs," Simon countered. "Frankly, I'm not even sure that you are allergic. Even if you are, there is medicine you can get now to treat dog dander, the object which makes most people allergic to canines. There are even breeds such as the poodle and Wheaton who don't have dog dander. They make perfect pets for people with animal allergies."

"Any other excuses, Dave?" spoke Alvin.

"The answer is still 'no.' Subject closed." Dave resumed reading the paper, and they finished their breakfast in silence. Dave had made up his mind, and very little could be done to change it.

The subject of dogs was soon forgotten. Or so Dave thought it was forgotten. The Chipmunks had merely put the topic in the back of their minds and silently agreed not to bring it up again for a while. A week and a half passed, and before Theodore knew it, it was that time of the month again when he sat down at their bedroom desk to answer fan letters. Ever since the Chipmunks had posted their official email addresses on their website, they had received a lot more emails. After all, it is much easier to email a person than to write them a letter. Simon found his inbox was fuller than Theodore's was; because of that, he answered his letters every three weeks. Alvin had no choice but to answer them every two weeks. He always chose a week night to answer them, so he could have a good excuse for not doing his dreaded homework.

Theodore had waken up early just to answer his 52 emails. The number was a little low this month, but that was only because fans didn't have time to write, what with the new school year starting. Simon was working in his inventions notebook on the bed. Theodore hated to be in a room alone, and Simon had kindly volunteered to work in there until he had to return to his basement. Outside, you could hear an occasional thump against the house followed by the window opening up. Alvin was throwing his football against the house, and Dave was opening the window to tell him to stop.

After he finished answering email 37, Theodore decided it was time for a little break. He went downstairs to look for a snack. "_Now what do I want? I could have some Ritz crackers. No, I already ate those. How about chips? No, Alvin ate those a couple days ago. I think…I'll have a sandwich._"

Theodore started his usual process of making a sandwich. First, he got out six slices of bread, the turkey, ham, bologna, lettuce, onion, tomato, avocado, Swiss cheese, cucumber, and American cheese. Then he began making his sandwich tower, adding mayonnaise on each slice of bread. As he was getting the ingredients, Theodore noticed that some of their vegetables had rotted. He sadly threw them away. "_It's such a waste."_ Alvin walked in through the back door just as Theodore was about to take a bite.

"Hi, Theodore!"

"Aaahhh! Alvin, you scared me!"

"It's not like I meant to do it on purpose or anything. All I said was 'hi'. You gotta admit though; it was a pretty good scare." His smirk wiped off his face after he sniffed the air. "Whew! What's that smell?"

"It's probably coming from the garbage." Theodore finished chewing and continued, "I had to throw away some of our vegetables. I peeled an onion too."

"Oh, that would do it. Listen, I came here to ask you if you've seen my slingshot."

"Why would you need that?"

"You'll see," he answered with his famous smile that spelled "trouble". "Now have you seen it or not?"

"I think it's in our closet."

Alvin bounded up the stairs and went to their closet, ignoring Simon, and started searching for his slingshot. Simon looked up from his notebook when he heard a loud thump coming from the closet.

"Oww!"

"What happened, Alvin?"

"Oh, my bowling ball just fell on my foot again, that's all."

"You should really store that in your bowling bag."

"I can't. I'm storing old homework and junk in it."

After looking almost everywhere, Alvin found his slingshot. (It was under a shirt that he had been standing on). He grabbed it and some balloons and hurried out of the bedroom before Simon asked about them. Simon had noticed them but was too engrossed in his formulas to investigate the matter. Alvin went into the bathroom and filled the balloons with water. Then, he carefully tucked the balloons and slingshot in his backpack that he had put in the bathroom earlier and headed downstairs towards the backdoor.

Next door, the Chipettes and Miss Miller were on their porch. Miss Miller was falling asleep; Brittany was texting her best friend, Tiffany; Jeanette was reading Pride and Prejudice for the third time; and Eleanor was looking at a magazine. Alvin sneaked behind some bushes and crept towards the unsuspecting girls. He couldn't help but emit a small chuckle. Eleanor looked up from her magazine and listened intently. Alvin froze. After a few moments, she continued browsing. Gingerly, Alvin lifted the bloated balloon from his backpack and placed it in the slingshot. He raised it and took aim at his first target.

Splash! Splash! Splat! Splash!

The Chipettes started screaming, and Miss Miller snorted abruptly awake. "Oh my! We're under attack!" she yelled. Brittany's hair, pink bow, and crisp outfit were drenched and sticking to her fur. Jeanette sat in shock and disappointment as she wiped her glasses and looked at the damage done to her book. Eleanor was furious, but she tried to compose herself as she squeezed the water of her skirt. Alvin was rolling on the ground, laughing so hard that he had to hold his sides. Theodore and Simon had heard the noise and rushed outside. As soon as Brittany saw them, she knew exactly who had done it.

"Alvin Seville! Wherever you are, you're gonna get it!!!" she screeched.

"Alvin, how could you do that to them?" Theodore asked.

"It was easy! Hahahah!"

"Well it wasn't very nice." Theodore walked over to see if the girls were okay, and Miss Miller began telling him how her very life had flashed before her eyes.

"You'll be in trouble when Dave finds out," warned Simon.

"Hey wait, Simon!" Alvin stopped laughing. "Don't be a tattletale!"

Simon was already inside. By the time Alvin caught up to him, he could "Allviiin!" ringing in his ears.

"Alvin, I don't need to tell you that that was a bad thing you did." Dave started. "I want you to go over and apologize to them right now."

"But, Dave!"

"No buts."

"I was only having some fun. You should have seen them. They looked…" The look on Dave's face made Alvin shut up and solemnly head for the door.

"Are you sure you're okay, Eleanor?" Theodore asked as he took back the towel he had given her."

"I'm alright, thank you. I'm just mad. I heard him, but I ignored it. Next time, he won't get away with it."

"Tell me about it, Eleanor!" Brittany whined. "My hair is going to frizz now, and I have to change clothes not that that's a bad thing. But my phone! It better be okay, or he's buying me a new one. And a new outfit," she quickly added.

"I'm sure there won't be much damage done to the book," Simon was telling Jeanette.

"It's one of my favorite books."

"If it is bad, I'll make sure Alvin replaces it. Maybe he should still replace it," he thought aloud.

"What are YOU doing here?" Brittany said coldly as she stared at Alvin. Everyone else looked at him too.

"I came to come over here to apologize," he muttered. "I'm sorry that you can't take a joke."

"Alvin!!" Simon and Theodore scolded.

"Okay, okay." Alvin gulped and continued, "I'm sorry I got you wet and ruined you're stuff."

"I forgive you," Jeanette answered with a weak smile.

"It's okay," Eleanor responded. The last of her anger was disappearing.

"Apology not accepted."

"Now, Brittany," Miss Miller started, "That's not nice. Alvin came all the way over here to apologize, and now you need to forgive him. It's okay, Alvin."

Brittany idly looked at her nails. "Oh alright. It's okay," she blurted. "But don't let it happen again!"

Alvin just nodded and went back inside the house. Simon and Theodore, not sure what to do next, said they'd see the Chipettes later, waved goodbye, and followed Alvin.

"No slingshot for two weeks, you have to dust and vacuum the whole downstairs, and stay inside while I'm gone," they heard Dave say to Alvin.

"Okay," he answered reluctantly.

"I'll see you when I get back." Dave turned to the other Chipmunks. "I have to go to the office for a few hours. Sy wants me to go over some of the songs for your concert in Atlanta. You can call me if you need anything. Stay in our yard while I'm gone. Bye!"

"Okay, bye!" they said.

"And, Alvin, take out trash out too; it stinks!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Why can't I ever have any fun around here?" Alvin began complaining as he carried the trash outside. "It's not like they got hurt. They just overreacted. And Simon! Why can't he ever keep his big, furry mouth shut? He and Dave always want to ruin my fun."

Alvin sat down on the back step with his arms crossed, pouting. It was just no fair! There was nothing that could get Alvin out of his mood, except a strange noise coming from the backyard. He jerked his head up and immediately thought a kidnapper was coming to lock him in an old cage in the middle of nowhere and force him to sing night and day. Alvin crept over to the bush where he heard the noise. The bush moved again. Alvin's stomach lurched, and his palms became sweaty. He approached the bush again and saw a sandy-colored flash. Alvin gulped, thinking it was the burlap sack the kidnapper was going to use.

All of a sudden, the kidnapper jumped out from behind the bush! Alvin prepared himself to fight. However, it would be very hard for the kidnapper to take Alvin, since he didn't have any hands! In fact, the kidnapper wasn't a human at all but a dog. It had the face of a Brittany Spaniel, the body type of a Labrador Retriever, the fur of an Australian Sheepdog, and the color of a tan American Cocker Spaniel. In other words, he was a mutt, a very dirty mutt at that. He was not completely emaciated, but he was skinny enough to where some of his bones protruded. There was no collar to be seen. His face and matted fur were covered in grey dirt and burrs. He smelled just as bad as the garbage Alvin just threw out. In spite of this, he gave a friendly bark at Alvin, wagged his tail, and advanced towards him.

Alvin wasn't sure what to do. This dog could have rabies. "_But, a dog this friendly can't be that bad. He isn't foaming at the mouth_," reasoned Alvin. Cautiously, he held out his hand to pet the dog. He barked again and licked Alvin's hand. Alvin smiled and started to pet the dog, who was wagging his tail all the while. Then, Alvin stared into the dog's eyes. The dog stared right back. It was like they could stare into each other's souls. They held this gaze for a few moments, and a special bond formed between them that could never be broken.

"Theodore! Simon! Come out here!"

The dog started sniffing around Alvin, probably looking for something to eat. The screen door opened.

"What is it, Alvin?" asked Simon.

"A dog!" Theodore exclaimed. "Where did you get him?"

"He just wandered into our yard."

"He looks so cute!" Theodore eagerly started to pet him.

"Theodore! You shouldn't touch a wild animal. It could carry diseases."

"It's alright, Simon," Alvin reassured. "I touched him, and I'm not keeling over with a disease."

Theodore giggled as the dog licked his face. Getting excited, the dog ran around him and then ran up to Simon. He sat down in front of him and gave Simon the same gaze he gave Alvin. Simon stared back, and an instant bond formed between them too.

"What should we do with him?" asked Theodore.

"Give him a bath first," Simon replied. "I can't even tell what breed he is under all that filth."

Simon pulled out the garden hose, and Alvin got an old towel from the garage. Theodore volunteered to get the soap. He reappeared with dish soap, shampoo, and Dave's comb.

"Come here, boy!" Theodore coached the dog. "Simon, will you please turn on the water?"

"Wait!" Alvin said as he ran in the house. He came back with three pairs of rubber gloves. "We'll need these."

"Good thinking," Simon replied and turned on the hose "Okay, Theodore, the water's ready."

"Thanks, Simon. You can hold the water, I'll hold the dog, and Alvin, you can wash him."

The following sight was quite comical to watch. Alvin squeezed the soap carelessly, getting some on his clothes and the grass. When he bent down to lather the dog, he just started licking Alvin's face. When Alvin was finally able to lather up the soap, the dog started to squirm and slipped out of Theodore's grasp. Simon had been holding up the hose, prepared to rinse the dog. When he ran away, Simon got Theodore wet instead. Alvin started chasing the dog, who was getting even dirtier from all the mud that the hose had produced. The dog slipped out of Alvin's grasp when Alvin caught him, making Alvin fall in a pile of mud. Theodore helped him up, and all three started chasing the dog around the yard. They tried calling for the dog, but in vain. The dog just barked at them and ran faster. He thought this was a fun new game.

Next door, the Chipettes were wondering what all the commotion was. Jeanette went outside to investigate and quickly called her sisters out when she saw the Chipmunks with a dog. They started laughing as they watched them. The Chipmunks were running into each other, getting muddier by the minute. The dog was too smart for them. Then he headed straight for the Chipettes' house. Brittany screamed and ran onto the porch.

"Don't let that muddy beast get me!"

Jeanette decided the safest place to be was up on the porch too. She tripped on the second step as she sat down next to Brittany. Eleanor joined in the chase to catch the dirty fugitive. She helped them herd the dog back into the Chipmunks' yard, where they tried to get him again for his bath. By this time, their pace had slowed down significantly.

Simon stopped running and snapped his fingers with an idea he had. He went in the garage and found some rope. He formed it into a lasso and tried to loop it around the dog's neck. Sadly, Simon's cowboy skills weren't as good as his inventing skills were. The rope missed it's target four times and fell on Alvin the fifth time.

"Do I look like the dog?!" Alvin snatched the rope from his hands and lassoed the dog on the first try.

With all five tired and heavily panting, Alvin just tied the dog to a tree and sat down with Eleanor and his brothers to catch his breath. Jeanette and Brittany joined them when they saw the coast was clear. Brittany, however, kept a good distance away from the dog.

"Where did you get the dog, Simon?" Jeanette asked as she looked at the dog.

"He wandered into our yard."

"You should get the poor thing some water." With that, Jeanette picked up the hose and clumsily dragged it over to the dog and gave him a nice long drink.

"He could use a snack too," Eleanor commented. "We don't have dog food, and it's not a good idea to give him human food. But, this time can be an exception." She went inside their house and came out with some pieces of lunch meat. The dog gobbled them up as soon as it was given to him.

"What were you doing trying to give it a bath for?" Brittany folded her arms in front of her. "Shouldn't you be trying to find his owners?"

"We want to return him to them clean, don't we?" Alvin surlily replied with a dirty look. He didn't want it known right away that he wouldn't part with this dog for the world.

"Besides, he doesn't have any owners. We want to keep him."

"Now, Theodore, we don't know for certain that he doesn't have owners."

"I'm sure he doesn't, Simon."

Eleanor fixed her pigtails that had come loose during the chase. "I didn't know you wanted a dog again."

"Yeah, we miss Lily a lot."

"Well, I'm sure you'll be able to take care of this dog better because you're older and more responsible" Jeanette stated, putting the hose away.

"But how are you going to convince Dave?" challenged Brittany. She was still mad at Alvin with what he did to her earlier that day.

"We'll deal with him later. Now let's give this dog his bath." Alvin carried the bath supplies to the tree.

"Do want some help?" Eleanor offered.

"Sure! Here's some gloves."

"Thank you, Theodore."

The Chipmunks, Jeanette, and Eleanor started washing the dog again. Simon was still holding the hose. The rest were scrubbing the dog clean. Brittany had disappeared. After that, Jeanette got the towel, and they dried him off. Brittany interrupted them and suggested that they should use her hair dryer too. Alvin thought it was a good idea and went to take it. Brittany jerked her hand back, proclaiming that she was the only one allowed to handle her hair dryer. The dog was dry in no time. Alvin then started combing the dog's fur. Simon gently clipped the burrs and mats from his fur, and Theodore cleaned up their mess. When they were all done, they saw their hard work had paid off. The dog looked beautiful, even show dog worthy. His coat gleamed; his tail and tongue wagged. The dog knew he looked irresistible, and he was proud of it.

"Doesn't he look perfect?" Theodore sighed.

"Yeah," said Alvin, sighing himself.

"But we don't," Simon realized as he stared down at his grass stained, muddy turtleneck.

"I was wondering when you'd notice," remarked Brittany. The Chipmunks went inside to change while the Chipettes watched the dog.

When they came out, Eleanor asked, "Are you really going to keep the dog?"

"I want him!" Theodore exclaimed.

"He would be a lot of fun to have around the house." Alvin was trying not to act excited, but his face told otherwise.

"I'd really love to keep him," Simon said wistfully. "If only Dave would say 'yes'."

"You should give him a name," Jeanette suggested. "If you gave him a name and told Dave how much you really want him, maybe he'll say you can keep him."

"That's a good idea. It just might work. But what would we name him?"

"That's easy." Alvin placed his hand gracefully upon his chest. "This dog is sweet, charming, lovable, and handsome. His name should be Alvin."

They all rolled their eyes. Theodore protested, "I think we should name him Dulce."

"What kind of a name is that?"

Simon spoke up, "It's French for 'sweet'. It's also used in candy." Theodore licked his lips.

"You could name him Rover or Sparky," Brittany joked.

Alvin ignored her and said, "Butch is a good name. Wait, no! I like Killer even better!"

"Killer?!" They all thought Alvin was crazy. This dog looked like he couldn't hurt a fly.

"I like Max for a name," Eleanor said.

"Personally, I like Thomas or Albert for our pet. He's so smart; I think it would be perfect for him."

"No!" Alvin and Theodore shouted.

"It was just a suggestion."

"Buddy?" Theodore asked.

"No."

Simon studied the dog. "He looks like a Bailey."

"I kind of like that name," Theodore responded.

"Yeah, that's good," Brittany remarked.

"How about Sammy?" Jeanette suggested. "It looks like he's smiling, and the name fits his personality. Even his bark sounds happy."

"I've got it!" Alvin exclaimed. "What was the name of the first person we ever sang for?"

"Dave," Simon replied bluntly.

"No! I mean after Dave."

"I don't know," thought Theodore. "We sang on the radio after that."

"Right! And who did we sing for?"

"You mean Rockin' Rod?" Simon tried.

"Yes!"

"I wouldn't exactly call that "singing for him". We sang in his studio over the radio, not exclusively for him."

"That's not the point. What if we named the dog after him?"

"We name him Rod?"

"That sounds stupid," stated Brittany flatly. "It sounds like a rod of a fishing rod or something used to hit someone in the head with." Another mean glance was directed at Alvin.

"I was thinking more of Rodney." He gave her another dirty look. The dog had been quietly lying down during this conversation, but when he heard "Rodney", his ears perked up, and he wagged his tail a little bit.

"I think the dog likes it," pointed Eleanor.

"I like the name too," Theodore and Jeanette agreed. Brittany stated that "Rodney" sounded much more sensible than "Rod" did.

Simon pondered the name a moment and replied, "Yes. I think that's a very fitting name. 'Rodney' it is." Rodney uttered an exuberant bark in approval.

"Let's play with him now," suggested Theodore.

"With what?" asked Brittany.

"A stick of course. Here, Rodney. Fetch!"

Simon sighed. "Theodore, he's not going to listen-"

"What were you saying, Simon?" Alvin pointed to Rodney who was already bringing back the stick.

"He just chased after the stick. He didn't listen to the command."

"Oh really? Hey, Rodney, roll over!" Rodney did as he was told.

"Speak!" commanded Theodore. "Please?" Rodney barked.

"Well, I'll be," Simon uttered.

"I think his previous owners trained him," Jeanette stated.

"Cool! That's one less responsibility we have to worry about. You're such a smart dog, Rodney." Alvin scratched behind Rodney's ears.

"And that could help convince Dave to let us keep him," Simon added.

The Chipmunks and Chipettes continued playing with Rodney while they waited for Dave to come home. The Chipmunks didn't know how Dave would react to Rodney, but the more they played with him, the more they knew they couldn't say goodbye to their new friend.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

After what seemed like ages, Dave came home. The Chipmunks had agreed that they would hide Rodney from Dave until they felt it was the right time to ask him. They tied Rodney to the side of the house and prepared themselves to meet Dave.

"We should go now," Brittany said reluctantly. "Bye, Rodney." She caressed him lovingly, her attitude entirely different now, thanks to Rodney.

"I hope Dave lets you keep him."

"I do too, Jeanette."

"Don't worry," Alvin said confidently. "One look at his face, and it'll melt Dave's stone-cold frozen heart."

"Don't exaggerate, Alvin," Simon scolded.

"I'm not! I'll bet his heart's so cold that penguins and polar bears dream of visiting it." Simon rolled his eyes.

"Let us know what happens," Eleanor said.

"We will. Thank you all for your help," Theodore replied.

"You're welcome. Bye!" They waved as they walked home.

"Hello, boys!"

"Hi, Dave!" They called back to him and ran over.

"Boy, am I tired!"

"I'm sorry, Dave." Theodore gave him a hug.

"Can we do or get anything for you?" asked Simon.

"I'll put your briefcase upstairs for you." Alvin took it from him and brought it inside, where he laid it on the staircase.

"Thank you, boys. I just want to go inside and relax. I'm also a little hungry too."

They followed him into the kitchen like a shadow. "So how were you while I was gone?"

"Oh, we were fine." Simon said.

"We were angels, Dave. We didn't do a thing wrong. Well, Simon and Theodore had wanted to go to the park, but I told them, 'No. Dave wanted us to stay home. I won't allow your disobedience.' "

"That was very good of you, Alvin." he sat down at the breakfast nook with some leftover chicken fingers. The Chipmunks looked at each other, and Theodore went outside.

"Boys, is there something wrong?"

"Well" Simon said, slightly nervous. "There is something we need to talk to you about."

"Actually, show you." Alvin pointed to the back door as Theodore walked in holding the dog's makeshift leash.

Dave nearly choked on his food when he saw the dog. "What is that, and what's he doing in the house?!"

"It's a dog. I'm not sure what breed he is. It could be a mix between a Labrador, an Australian Shepherd, and some kind of Spaniel. We found him- or rather-Alvin found him in our backyard."

Theodore said excitedly, "He was all dirty and smelly when we first saw him."

Alvin butted in. "But we gave him a bath and groomed him. Chipettes helped a little, but I did all the hard work."

"The Chipettes know about him?"

"He has an extremely amiable countenance."

"Yeah," piped up Theodore, "and he's really friendly too! His name is Rodney."

"You named him too!" Dave exclaimed.

"Yes! It was a tough decision, but Alvin named him after Rockin' Rod, the guy who first let us play our music. Well, not really 'let us'."

"It doesn't look like he belongs to anyone," coaxed Alvin, "and guess what? He's already trained! He can sit, stay, lie down, and everything. Now we don't have to worry about that, and there's no chance of having to give him up like we had to do with Lily. He's perfect!"

"Can we keep him, Dave?" asked Simon.

"Please?" Theodore pleaded.

"No."

"Why not?" they whined.

"Because… because.. I don't think it's a good idea."

"What's not a good idea?" Alvin protested.

"I know he's going to be neglected, and that's not fair to- uh"

"Rodney," Alvin finished for Dave.

"We promise we'll give him the upmost care."

"We'll take him for walks, feed him, groom him…" Theodore pleaded.

Alvin started slowly, "Even though I hate picking up dog messes, I think I could put up with it, if it meant keeping him."

Dave stopped to think over the situation a little more carefully. He had never expected to come home and see a dog in his kitchen or see his boys so determined to take care of a creature they had just met, yet already seemed to love so much.

"_He does look sweet, and the boys do seem like they're really going to take care of him. I suppose I could get something to treat my allergies."_

Dave looked over at Rodney. He was wagging his tail happily. When he saw Dave, he walked over to him and licked his hand. There was something about this dog that was captivating.

"Boys," he spoke slowly, "I think before we make any decisions we should have a vet look at him, to make sure he's healthy and doesn't belong to anyone."

"And if the vet gives him the okay?" Alvin asked.

"You have to promise to train him, take care of him every day (Dave looked at all of them), clean up any messes he makes, pay for any damages he causes, keep him out of my bedroom and the Music Room, and keep him off the furniture in the living room."

"We promise!" they answered eagerly.

"Then.. You can keep the dog."

"Yay!" Simon wore a huge grin as he eagerly pet Rodney's head. Theodore jumped up, did a little dance, then hugged Rodney around his neck. Alvin smiled wide, pet Rodney, quickly ran over and hugged Dave, then went back over to his brothers.

Rodney seemed to know that there was a reason for him to celebrate too. He wagged his tail nonstop, and it looked like he was smiling.

"Can we tell the Chipettes?" Theodore asked.

"After we go to the vet."

Dave hesitantly helped Rodney into the back of his car for the ride to the vet. One secret reason that Dave had always avoided getting a dog was because something had happened to him when he was a young boy. He was helping his father on their farm when one of their animals escaped, and Dave offered to run after it. As he was chasing it, he ran right into a huge sheepdog. Its owners had mistreated it, and it lashed out at Dave. It scared him so much that he ran all the way home. Ever since then, he had always been apprehensive. Rodney would have to earn Dave's trust.

Simon sat in the front seat. For once, there was a fight for who would sit in the back seat, only because Rodney was there. The boys planned excitedly about all the things they would buy and do for their new dog. Alvin talked about training him to win first prize at the dog show and all the fame that would bring them. Simon dreamed that he could help him in his lab. Theodore thought it would be perfect if Rodney could help him in the kitchen.

At the veterinarian's office, Dr. Kelley announced that he didn't find any microchip in the dog. The Chipmunks cheered like it was New Year's Day. Then, after Dr. Kelley meticulously inspected the dog inside and out and from head to tail, he gave him a clean, expensive bill of health.

"What's the dog's name?" the receptionist asked them when she scheduled his next appointment.

"Rodney," they proudly stated their new dog's name.

"Dave, what are we going to do about providing for our new pet?"

"What do you mean, Simon?" Dave helped Theodore into the car.

"Rodney is going to need food, dishes to eat off of, and some toys."

"Could we get them now, Dave?" Alvin asked excitedly.

"I'm too tired to go shopping. Maybe you can ask the Chipettes to go with you."

"Yah, we have to tell them the good news!" Theodore could not contain his excitement. "I'm sure they'll go with us."

"Here's the money you'll need."

Alvin stared blankly at the money Dave handed him. "Is that all?" _I could keep some of the extra change._

Dave sighed and handed Alvin another twenty. "That oughta do it. Thanks. Let's go." Alvin hummed "Let's Go" and did air guitar motions on the way home.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Brittany, staring out the window won't make them come over here any faster," Eleanor gently scolded from the kitchen.

"I know. Jeanette saw them leave with Rodney over an hour ago. What could they be doing? You don't think Dave made them take him to the pound do you?"

"When I saw them, they looked happy. I'm sure if Dave was making them take Rodney to the pound, they'd look melancholy."

"What do fruits have to do with anything?"

"Never mind." Jeanette shook her head. Brittany's vocabulary wasn't nearly as expansive as hers was.

"Brittany, why don't you come over hear and help us peel potatoes?"

"But, Miss Miller!"

"Please?"

"Oh, alright."

"What are we having for dinner, Miss Miller?" Jeanette asked as she washed her hands in preparation to help.

"Meatloaf. Eleanor wanted to make the mashed potatoes herself this time."

"Good, I hate that instant junk."

"I think it tastes good, Brittany." Jeanette mentioned.

"But not nearly as good as Eleanor's recipe."

"True."

"Boy, this potato is hard to peel. I'm afraid I'll cut my finger."

"Brittany," Eleanor groaned. "If you weren't so afraid of breaking a nail or something, you'd apply a little pressure to the peeler," Eleanor reached over and pressed her hands on Brittany's, "and actually peel them!"

"Oh, that might help."

The doorbell rang. The Chipettes dropped their peelers and made a mad rush to the door. Eleanor got to it first and burst open the door, scaring Theodore so much that he nearly fell off the step. Thankfully, Alvin and Simon were there to help him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Theodore."

"It's okay."

"Well?" demanded Brittany.

"Dave said we could keep Rodney!" Alvin proclaimed.

"The vet stated he didn't belong to anyone and gave him a clean bill of health."

"That's wonderful!" Jeanette beamed.

Theodore added, "We have to go to the store to buy him stuff, and we were wondering if you'd like to go with us."

"Sure!" The Chipettes in unison said.

"Dave won't be going with us, though. He's too tired."

"Miss Miller can drive us."

Eleanor and Jeanette exchanged glances. Since when did Brittany volunteer to go for a ride with Miss Miller? The Chipmunks looked worried at the mention of Miss Miller driving.

"Look, if we walk, who's going to carry home the heavy dog food and all the stuff we bought? I know I'm not."

"She's right," Simon agreed. "It would be easier."

"I suppose we have no choice," Eleanor sighed. "I'll go ask her."

"Where's Rodney?" Jeanette asked.

"We tied him to the tree again," Simon answered.

"I'm going to go untie him, though. I'm sure he's so sad." Theodore went to go get him.

Eleanor came out of the house. "Miss Miller said 'yes'. She'll be right out."

"What about our dinner?" Jeanette remembered they had been peeling potatoes before the Chipmunks had arrived.

"We'll save it for tomorrow. We hadn't started making the meatloaf yet."

"I'm all ready to go! Let's put the rubber to the asphalt!"

"There's Rodney!" Brittany half ran over to him. "Such a good dog, Rodney."

"Congratulations, boys. The girls told me all about your new dog. Why isn't he cute!"

Because of Miss Miller's appearance, Rodney approached her cautiously. He soon sensed that she was harmless and greeted her with his usual jolly dog licking. The Chipmunks and Chipettes piled into the car. It was a tight fit, but the drive to the pet store wasn't that long.

"So what do you plan on buying?" Jeanette asked Simon as they approached their destination.

"The basics: dog food, food and water bowls, a brush. Hopefully, we can get him a collar and leash. Dave said he'd take us to the animal shelter tomorrow to buy him a license."

Rodney was excited to go into a new place and tried to run across the parking lot, but Alvin had a tight hold on him. It was a big pet store, the biggest in the city, and there were quite a few dogs present. Rodney tried to meet them all, but Alvin would not let him.

"I think we should look at the leashes and collars first," he said as he tugged at Rodney.

"Boy, I never knew they made so many different ones," Theodore commented as he looked in wonder.

"This looks nice." Brittany picked up a blue and pink plaid collar with a silver bell on it.

"No way!" Alvin exclaimed. "That's a girl CAT's collar! Do you want me to give him a complex?!"

"No."

"Now this is good." Alvin held up a black spiked collar.

"For a pit bull." Simon held up a blue one instead.

"If we're going that way, red is much better than blue. Blue is sometimes a girl's color. Red is always for a boy."

"What about a printed collar?" Eleanor suggested.

"I don't like any of the ones they have here," Simon said.

"I actually think this green one will look better on Rodney."

"No, Theodore. Red is best."

"I think blue would be the best choice." Simon was trying to keep his patience.

"No, red." Alvin was giving a fake smile.

"Um, guys, do they have a red or blue collar in Rodney's size?" Jeanette asked in her usual meek manner.

Alvin's heart sank. "I'm sure we can find some sort of collar with red in it." He searched through the racks rapidly until he saw the only collar with red in it that had a matching leash in Rodney's size.

"Rainbow?" Eleanor questioned.

"It doesn't look bad." Alvin said defensively.

"I suppose." Simon wasn't exactly sold on it.

"Let's see how Rodney likes it." Theodore held it up to Rodney's neck. Brittany gave her compact mirror for Rodney to see himself. Then Simon held up the blue one.

"Which one, Rodney?" Theodore asked.

Rodney stood there, contemplating, and put his nose on the rainbow set.

"It's the fairest choice," Jeanette agreed. "It has all of your color's in it."

"But mostly red."

"Let's go get the dog food." Simon was a little upset but soon forgot about it as they continued shopping.

The dog food was a hard decision as there were so many different types and brand names. Alvin ended up opening up some bags and giving Rodney some free samples. He said it was only fair, because humans got free samples too. After Rodney picked the food he wanted, Alvin lifted the heavy bag into the cart. Brittany watched him do this, and he winked at her as he lifted it. _"He's just showing off. It's not that heavy._" When everyone else had left the aisle, she tried to lift the bag but couldn't budge it. _"Maybe he is that strong."_

Next, they picked out the best dog brush and food and water dishes that the store had. They were ceramic with black bones and paw prints. Alvin intended to have Rodney's name put on them later. They also picked out a comfortable dog bed for him and of course dog treats.

The toy aisle was the worst. The Chipmunks and Chipettes kept finding different toys they liked for Rodney to have. Rodney even picked out a couple and showed them to Alvin, who couldn't say no. If Miss Miller hadn't convinced them to put some back, they would have bought every toy the store had. Rodney was in doggie heaven!

"I think we've done enough damage," Alvin said as he looked at the cart they had filled.

"Rodney is going to love his new home," Theodore beamed.

As they were waiting in the checkout line, a cat on a leash walked past Rodney. Without notice, Rodney broke free from Alvin's grip and took off after it, barking down the main aisle. Alvin ran after them.

"Rodney, come back here! Heel!"

Rodney stopped in his tracks. Alvin caught up to him and tried to catch his breath.

"You silly dog." Rodney gave a sheepish glance and followed Alvin back to the checkout line.

When they got back to the Chipettes' house, Miss Miller helped the Chipmunks unload their purchases.

"Do you need any more help?"

"No, thank you. We appreciate all your help and that you took us to the store. Thank you."

"Why you're welcome, Simon."

"Thanks for tagging along and helping us pick out all Rodney's things."

"You're welcome, Theodore," Eleanor smiled.

"It was fun, and Rodney is a dear."

"Alvin!" Brittany called to him as he fastened Rodney's leash to the collar. "I just wanted to -uh- say I had fun shopping. Rodney is so easy to buy for," she added quickly.

"Glad you had fun."

"Thanks for letting me tag along."

"Well, everyone else was going. We couldn't leave you behind no matter how much I could try."

"Maybe sometime I can come over to visit Rodney, maybe brush him?"

"Sure."

"Bye, Rodney." She pet him affectionately, and he returned the affection.

"Bye, Alvin." He waved back. Brittany and Alvin certainly had their disagreements, but Brittany felt that Rodney was the one thing that they did agree on. Maybe he could help them become better friends.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Jeanette."

"Bye, Simon, and congratulations!"

Inside, the Chipmunks showed Dave all the things they bought Rodney.

"Where's the change?" he asked. Alvin handed him two cents. "That's all that was left?"

"Well…there was a few more dollars, but we really did spend it all on Rodney."

Dave was a little upset by how much they had bought, but he knew it was understandable why they wanted to buy Rodney so much. He let Alvin keep the few dollars that were leftover.

"I know Rodney is going to love all the things you bought him," Dave continued. Why don't you go put away his things now? I'm just going to be down the hall in the Music Room."

Rodney's things were going to be set up in a spare bedroom. There was plenty of room for him to run around in it if they had to leave him at home for awhile, but that was only until they bought (or built) him a doghouse. Each Chipmunk had a difference of opinion about how Rodney's room should be arranged. They were so busy arguing that they didn't notice Rodney leave the room. He had heard the piano playing from the Music Room and had wanted to investigate it.

Now, the Music Room was upstairs in the Seville House. It was the room where Dave escaped when he wanted to write songs in private. It was also a place where the Chipmunks could practice their songs away from the office. The room had two large windows with Simon's keyboard and three music stands in between them. On the left side of the room was another piano (smaller than the one downstairs), three stools with the Chipmunks first name initials on them, and a tall filing cabinet in the corner where Dave stored all his original sheet music and other important documents. The opposite wall had hooks where Alvin kept his electric and acoustic guitar and Simon kept his electric guitar and saxophone. Theodore's drum set was safely set up next to the other instruments.

The door to the Music Room was closed, but Rodney put his mouth over the knob and opened the door. Dave didn't notice Rodney come in and kept playing. Rodney walked over to Dave and sat behind him to listen to the music. As he did whenever he was happy, Rodney wagged his tail. Towards the end of the song, Rodney trotted over to the keys and placed his paw on some of the highest notes. Dave jumped when he heard the noise.

"How did you get in here? Do the boys know you're here?" Rodney barked and played a few more notes.

"You like that, huh?" By this time, Rodney was on his hind legs and moving his paws up and down the keys like he was really playing it.

"That's pretty good!" Dave started to play "Witch Doctor".

"I told the Witch Doctor I was in love with you.

I told the Witch Doctor you didn't love me true.

And then the Witch Doctor he told me what to do.

He said that,

' Ooo, eee, oo, ah ah, ting, tang,

Walla walla, bing bang.

Ooo, eee, oo, ah ah, ting, tang,

Walla walla, bing bang."

Rodney stopped playing and listened intently to the song. When Dave sang the chorus of "Ooo eee"s again, Rodney started to "sing" to the song. He sounded good too, keeping up with the rhythm and the beat. Surprised and excited, Dave sang "Christmas Don't Be Late". By the second verse, Rodney was "singing" right along with him.

"Arr, arr arr, woof, wolf, arr ar.

Bark, ruff, ar, ar arr, owr ar."

"You were great!" Dave told him after the song ended. Rodney wagged his tail with the praise. Dave scratched Rodney's head.

"You know, maybe you won't be so bad." Dave had just needed some time alone with Rodney to see that he wasn't a mean, scary dog like the one from his childhood. Rodney rested his head on Dave's lap and "smiled".

"I found him! He's with Dave!" Theodore hollered. "There you are, Rodney! We were looking all over for you. I'm sorry he got in the Music Room, Dave. I promise it won't happen again."

"It's okay. He didn't do any harm, but watch him more carefully this time," Dave added with more firmness. Theodore nodded and led Rodney out.

"So how do you like your room, Rodney pal?" Alvin asked. "Your bed's over here, with the toy box just a couple feet away, and the chew toys are right there." Rodney sniffed all around and seemed to show his pleasure.

While the boys were playing with Rodney upstairs, Dave fixed a quick dinner as they were all ravenous by this time.

"Boys! Get ready for dinner!" Loud thunder came from upstairs and moved closer as the boys and dog made a mad dash for the stairs.

"Settle down," he warned. "You should probably feed Rodney his dinner now."

"Great idea!" Theodore walked over to the pantry to get the food.

"Not so fast, Theodore," Alvin pulled him by the back of his turtleneck. "I'm going to feed him."

"But, I wanted to feed him first!"

"You're both mistaken. I'm going to feed him. I've hardly done anything for him." Simon strode past Theodore. Alvin and Theodore tackled him down, and they continued fighting. It was finally agreed upon that Alvin could give him his food, Theodore would give him his water, and Simon could give him both for breakfast the next day. Rodney was quite hungry and devoured his food. The lunch meat Eleanor had given him barely tided him over.

It was quite clear that Rodney was devoted to the Chipmunks. When they went to watch T.V. with Dave after dinner, he contentedly lay outstretched at the Chipmunks' feet. Whenever one of them left the couch, he followed him around until he sat back down. After they watched T.V., Dave instructed them to do their homework. (They had some papers due on Monday.) Rodney was lying down under the dining table where they worked. Occasionally he would get up and sniff one of them to make sure they were still there. The Chipmunks managed to finish their homework, despite the distractions from Rodney.

When bedtime came, the boys begged and pleaded with Dave to let Rodney sleep with them. It took quite a lot of convincing, but he finally relented. There was another fight over who Rodney would sleep with. This time, Rodney settled the issue by jumping on Theodore's bed.

"Well, I guess Rodney decided who he's sleeping with tonight," sighed Simon. "I suppose I'll get a chance to sleep with him tomorrow."

"What makes you say that?" asked Alvin.

"Youngest to oldest?"

"Oh. Ok. Goodnight, Rodney." He barked towards Alvin. "Goodnight, Simon. Goodnight, Theodore."

"Goodnight." they replied.

"Goodnight, Theodore. Goodnight, Rodney." Rodney barked at Simon too.

"Goodnight, Simon." Theodore curled under the covers.

Dave poked his head in the door. "Goodnight, fellas."

"Goodnight, Dave," Theodore and Simon said.

"Goodnight, John Boy," Alvin said half chuckling.

"Very funny."

"Who's John Boy?"

"I'll tell you later, Theodore," Simon answered.

"I love you, boys."

"I love you too."

"Dave?" Simon sat up.

"Yes?"

"Thank you for letting us keep Rodney."

"You're welcome. I know he's going to be a great addition to our family." Dave shut off their light and left their door open a crack, just in case Rodney needed to leave.

Theodore rolled on his side and wrapped his arms around Rodney. He was so happy that his wish of having another dog had finally come true. Rodney was fast asleep within 5 minutes. He hadn't been this happy in a long time. He knew that this was his permanent home.


End file.
